Hornets take series finale

Saturday, April 8

Missoula, Mont.

1 PM

Montana

7-29, 1-5

Sacramento State

21-12, 5-1

Sacramento State

Montana

Photo by: Ryan Brennecke/UM Athletics

4/8/2023 4:57:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Montana Sports Information

Sacramento State scored the winning run in the fifth and added five in the six to turn what had been a tense, scoreless game into a 6-0 victory over Montana on Saturday afternoon at Grizzly Softball Field in Missoula.

The Hornets (21-12, 5-1 BSC) completed the series sweep by outscoring the Grizzlies (7-29, 1-5 BSC) 17-2 over three games, but the final two were not decided until the final innings.

In Game 2 on Friday, Sacramento State hit a game-winning, three-run home run with two outs in the top of the seventh to turn a 2-2 tie into a 5-2 victory.

Saturday's series finale was just as tense as Sacramento State starter Savannah Wahl and Montana's Grace Haegele took turns putting up zeroes on the scoreboard, which is where it sat entering the fifth.

The Hornets broke the scoreless tie on a sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth, then broke it open in the top of the sixth, scoring five times on four hits and one critical Montana error.

After Katie Marsh led off the sixth with a double to center and was sacrificed to third, Haegele got what she wanted, an infielder grounder that would have kept the runner on base.

But the ball was thrown away on a play at first. That miscue allowed Marsh to score and give the Hornets another runner at third with one out.

A single, a double, a sacrifice fly and another single gave Sacramento State a 6-0 lead in a game that lost its tenseness in just a few at-bats.

"I thought it was a very competitive fight from Griz Softball and Sacramento State. It was a battle," said coach Melanie Meuchel. "Both pitchers were controlling the zone and putting pressure on the hitters.

"It got away from us a little bit late in the game on every side of it."

Montana matched Sacramento State hit for hit, with both teams totaling seven. But the Hornets left just two runners on base while the Grizzlies stranded nine.

Montana left 23 runners on base for the series, going 3 for 18 with runners in scoring position.

"The ability when they are there for us to come through and be able to score is something we're continuing to work through as a team," said Meuchel.

Montana's best chance to take the lead came in the bottom of the fourth, when Presley Jantzi singled up the middle and Grace Hardy doubled to the fence in center, leaving runners on second and third with one out.

A pair of infield ground outs ended the threat and left the game scoreless until the Hornets took the lead for good in the top of the fifth.

It was an unfortunate result for Haegele, who took the loss despite being up for the challenge of facing the Big Sky's top lineup.

She struck out the dangerous Lewa Day on three pitches to end the top of the first and faced the minimum number of hitters through four innings, a dozen.

The fifth-inning run she allowed was unearned, as were four of the five she surrendered in the sixth.

Evelyn O'Brien got the final out of the sixth on a swinging strikeout, then faced just three batters in the seventh.

"Grace came out and threw with a lot of guts, a lot of competitive drive," said Meuchel. "Through five innings, she gave us a chance."

Julie Phelps, batting leadoff, had three of Montana's hits, going 3 for 4. Jantzi finished 2 for 2.

Montana will travel to Greeley next week for a series at Northern Colorado. The Bears (14-18, 2-4 BSC) went 1-2 in their series at Sacramento State and Idaho State to begin league.